Another, but different kind of ... inspiring idea

January 12, 2026

This year marks fifty years of marriage for H and me.  Certainly, something to celebrate - but how? That was the topic of several conversations over the holidays. After eliminating a cruise (everybody gets sick), long travels, (what about the dogs?), and a few other ideas, H arrived at a truly inspired idea.  

Take the budget we might spend on a major (but limited time) adventure and use it for a weekly night out to some of the great restaurants and venues in Portland and surrounding areas. A year of weekly great meals at places that we might never have had the opportunity or motivation to enjoy in the past feels like a perfect way to celebrate. 

We both love this idea - each for our own reasons. For me, I love a chance to get dressed up, see new faces, visit new places. For us both is means something to look forward to and plan every week, and of course, the chance to eat and explore great food and cooking. The plan is each of us gets to choose a place and plan the details. 

Last week, the first Sunday in January, we started off at Laurelhurst Market, my choice. A good omen, in the form of a rainbow, shined on us as we left the house. 

Laurelhurst Market turned out to be a great choice - the glass display case filled with charcuterie and meats of all kinds set the tone for real food and human hands doing the cooking. We had marked anniversary as our special occasion on our reservation (we will do this every time) and were greeted with glasses of champagne.

In all ways, service, atmosphere, food and enjoyment, this place did not disappoint. The charcuterie board, a selection of excellent pates, cold cuts and pickled vegetables would have been enough, but the steak (we shared) was tender and flavor rich. Jut what I was hoping for. Top this off with chocolate mousse for dessert, and a good time was had by all.

When we left, we took a moment to admire the full moon shining on us.

We rate this place a 9 /10. My only nit was choosing a cocktail with smoked ice. I found that weird - I'll not choose that again, though I will continue to try new cocktails as often as possible.  The total with tip $126.  We'd definitely go back. 

Q is for Quarantine (What Else?)

 #PostcardsfromthePandemic

Every year I find myself in a quandary about what to write for the letter Q.  This year, not so much. With Covid once again on the roar, we have little choice but to stay home and quarantine. Now that the days are short and the nights are long, it feels more challenging than ever to fill my days with meaningful activity. (Binge watching does not count.)

I feel so fortunate to have work that involves my brains and my creativity and, fills my life (and the lives of others) with color and something to do.

My students have been creating truly beautiful work during the week between classes, and offering something wonderful to share and talk about in our classes. I am looking forward to tomorrow (R day) to see what will appear.

This image is a digital painting - playing with primary colors and stirring up a storm. 

P is for Pandemic and Art for Pleasure

 #PostcardsfromthePandemic

I teach a series of painting classes called Art for Pleasure. What used to take place in a classroom; what used to be an opportunity to explore a variety of styles and materials is now all online. Its taken me some time to figure out how to teach in this new way, but, as it turns out, for my students, and especially for me, having our class to prepare for and a chance to spend time, even at a distance, with other artists, is pure pleasure.

Lately, our class has been preparing to paint by creating a series of thumbnail sketches. These loose sketches, focused on shapes, light and composition are a great way to understand what we are seeing. 

This little painting started as a thumbnail of a still life. I decided to explore it further by doing a quick painting with my waterbrush pens. Adding color allowed me to play with the strong lights and darks I am trying to capture. Next step is to transfer this (with adjustments in the composition) to canvas - larger, and to work in acrylics. We will see ...

N is for November

 #PostcardsfromthePandemic

There are lots of wonderful things that have happened to me in November. At the top of the list is my wedding anniversary, followed closely by the birth of my grandson, the marriage of my daughter, and, my arrival, after a cross-country journey, in Oregon. All of these things are in the past. This year, November is feeling heavier and harder to get through.

As the rain is pouring down, and the pandemic restrictions keep us locked at home, one of the ways I hold back the dark is by playing with digital editing tools to see what I can create from my work. This sunny piece is based on the Matisse paper art I created and showed here earlier. The warm yellow make me think of (and hope for) better days.

M is for Magenta

#PostcardsfromthePandemic

Everybody loves purple flowers.

I painted thirty-six "pandemic" postcards this spring and summer. Most were florals, and I shared the pics on social media. Without a doubt the ones that got the most attention are the ones that used my magenta waterbrush pen. Multiple comments - I love purple flowers. But my favorite color to paint is blue. 

Magenta makes these colors harmonize. Magenta is  strong on its own, plays beautifully with yellow, blends with violet and red. Waters down to a very pretty pink. And shimmers next to that blue.

In this picture  (5x7 on watercolor paper) I played with fine sharpie lines in many colors and layered waterbrush pens over the patterning. Working like this, small and detailed feel like embroidery. Very relaxing. 

L is for Life as I know it

 #PostcardsfromthePandemic

Today is our 44th anniversary. A lot has happened in these years. Life. Long and good so far. 

Times are strange and difficult it seems everywhere in the world today, but we were able to enjoy a walk with the dogs through the golden carpet of leaves that line the river path. Dinner will, of course, be great. Our home is warm and full of light and color. We are both here and healthy. A good life. And I am able to spend the afternoon painting.

This piece is created on a repainted canvas 18x24 in acrylics. Pomegranates.

K is for Kandinsky

 #PostcardsfromthePandemic

"Russian-born Wassily Kandinsky pioneered abstract art in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His unique perspective on the form and function of art emphasized the synthesis of the visual and the auditory. He heard sounds as color, and this unusual perception was a guiding force in the development of his artistic style."

I love to look at work by Kandinsky - early, late, graphic, painterly, his work dazzles my eyes and intrigues me. In a class a while ago, we painted in his style while listening to music and capturing the sounds on the canvas. Very fun. Today, because I felt like it, I added filters to the original to see what would appear. I like this - the colors and the contrast. 

J is for July

#PostcardsfromthePandemic

 Its a bleak November day. Cold and rainy on top of all the other things that make up this day in history. 

When the pandemic began last spring, I found myself outdoors as often as possible - camera in hand. This spring was an especially beautiful one; nature offering solace in the bad times. So I began to photograph all of the gorgeous and ever changing array of flowers that were growing in the park, the streets and the gardens that surround our neighborhood. This was also the time when conversation about the troubled Post Office was dominating the news.

On the suggestion of a friend, I began doing a daily postcard size painting and mailing it to a friend (to do my bit to save USPS.)

 These paintings were almost always florals - abstract, loose, very colorful and fun to do. However, as I got deeper into the process, and as the spring turned to summer, my work began to change and my flowers began to reflect the actual flowers I was photographing - until they were almost botanical in style. In July, when the poppies bloom, the available models for my postcards were a riot of color and inspiration. My neighbor is a master gardener who grows a huge variety of flowers - none more spectacular than her poppies of many types and sizes.

In hope of another summer, and in honor of Veteran's Day, Poppies from the Garden. 

Arteza Brush Pens on Watercolor paper.

I is for Intense (color)

 #PostcardsfromthePandemic

I relax by "taking a line for a walk" ala Paul Klee, and then adding colors. This is an experiment in complimentary colors as with the goal of finding intensity through contrast of light and dark. 

Arteza brush pens watercolor paper.

Simple and fun to do.

H is for Harmony

#PostcardsfromthePandemic

In these divided times, the idea of harmony, of getting along, of mutual support is on the horizon - but in no way yet a reality. 

However, there is one kind of harmony that I feel I can achieve - color harmony. And its surprisingly easy to to do. 

Before Covid arrived, I regularly taught painting and drawing to young students. One of the ways I helped them achieve beautiful work was by teaching them to limit their palette. The rule was simple - One light color, one bright, one dark and one wild card (color of their choice.)

 I enjoyed watching them sort through boxes of color pencils or markers to make their choices. As they grew in skill and understanding, I enjoyed watching the rules hold as they mixed paints. By limiting colors, and discovering the colors that can be created from only those colors - beautiful blends appear. And the entire piece is more likely to work well as a whole.

Now, teaching only adults, and only via Zoom, I am surprised to discover that my approach to color works as well with these talented and skilled artists.  

The art on this page is composed of only analogous colors (yellow green blue) close friends on the color wheel. This quiet palette keeps the image calm and serene.  The image is drawn with one line. 

G is for Grateful

#postcardsfromthepandemic 

Its over! Or I hope it is. This has been a time of stress and anxiety - not just for me, but it seems, from reading social media - for people across the country and around the world. I am deeply grateful for the hope of better times,

May this be the beginning. 

In honor and hope - something cheerful. A one line drawing in warm colors to brighten the day.

Arteza watercolor brush pens on
watercolor paper. 

F is for Failed (Canvases that is)

 #PostcardsfromthePandemic

Its Friday and still no definitive answer to the BIG question on everyone's mind ... but art must go on. 

The students in my ZOOM art class have requested that we work in acrylics. Acrylics are both a challenge and a treat for me . I've used them frequently with varying results. So - to fill this nervous time with something productive, I've been going through the collection of paintings I've done over the years with the goal of finding any work that can be salvaged or improved.

Its been fun and interesting to see old friends, and to gauge my progress. Some of my pieces, though imperfect, are too good to toss.  Some bring back memories, many decorate my walls, but I have a stack of FAILS taking up space in my studio. These are the pieces that just don't work for some reason - many are 80% good, some total bombs - but all are canvases - so, to be thrifty, and also to discover what can happen when I paint over something - I am doing just that.

I found this piece - 12x12 canvas in a pile. I liked the colors but the shapes were all wrong and the perspective. So I redid it and I am happy with the results. It felt like a warm up and opened the door for several more re-Dos. There is something satisfying about looking at something old with new, and maybe wiser eyes, and making a change for the better. We can certainly use more of that.

E is for election, energy, ennui and will there ever be an end to this?

 #PostcardsfromthePandemic

Every time I look at the news I feel ill. Everyone I talk to feels the same way - no matter who they are rooting for.

 Yesterday I was amused by the fact that in conversations with seven different women, we all had this in common - we were all unable to sleep and up at 4 AM to check the news. Bad decision - and of course, and still, no answers to be had.

I am not the only one who is edgy right now - and the one thing that helps is keeping busy. That energy was apparent in the class I teach on Zoom each week - the work was especially beautiful and the laughter and conversation essential.

The art on this page is from a series using only primary colors from a simple watercolor palette to create shades of grey. The subdued colors reflect my mood. I am trying to stay hopeful and calm - and see the light.

D is for Decision (dark or delight?)

#PostcardsfromthePandemic

We are waiting to find out what happens next. Its difficult, distressing, depressing and I need some diversion. 

I make art in these times to structure my day, for the pleasure of the colors and the moments of being lost in a creative space. And I make art to express how I feel. I try, through my florals and vibrant colors to express joy and create beauty. But not today.

Today I feel storm clouds and slashes of lightning. And darkness. So .... something a little dark - but cheery enough to contain hope and light. 

Good luck and good art to us all.

C is for Candidates, chaos, calm and creativity

 #PostcardsfromthePandemic

This election day is not an easy day to settle down and focus on art or much of anything else. 

That said, art is just what I need to keep my mind and worries off of the events of the day. 

With so much looming on the horizon I feel the need for calm, clarity and light.   So, I paint. 

This seascape composed of simple and strong shapes is done with Arteza Watercolor brush pens on watercolor paper - 8x10. 

The blues and green are layered with yellow to create warmth and add light on the horizon - hope for a good outcome tonight. 

B is for Brush Pens and Botanicals

 #Postcards from the Pandemic

I love art supplies. That should come as no surprise to anyone who has seen my studio - but about a year ago I bought a set of Arteza Watercolor Brush Pens and my work was changed forever. These versatile pens are filled with vibrant colors that blend beautifully. They are easy to work with, travel well, and can because of the flexible nylon tips, are good for everything from calligraphy to painting solid blocks of color. They come with an empty watercolor brush which I have discovered to be handy for lots of things, including watercolor from a pan. 

So - finding a new tool (toy) has stimulated creativity as well as learning. Not only have I loved using these pens on my Pandemic Postcards, the skill I've built in blending color has carried over to other media as well. I've even started using them to enhance acrylic work. And, because I am so in love with these pens, I've incorporated them into the classes I teach - and everyone loves them too.

I rarely promote a product, but Arteza has hit it right with these pens. I am amazed at how long they last, and how well the tips stay strong and straight. The price is reasonable, the variety of uses is inspiring and the pleasure is great. I have used them all spring and summer to paint flowers from my world. It delights me to be able to use these pens to capture in color what I see in my photos and my trips to the garden.  

A is for Abstract

 #PostcardsfromthePandemic

November 1,
2020

Daylight savings time ended this morning at 2 am throwing my body into a mild state of confusion. V has a new grandson. P is traveling to await her granddaughter. The sun is shining. All is good. An excellent way to begin yet another round of #art every day month. I think this is my 12th year. I keep doing this because every year proves to be interesting and worth the effort. And every year is different. None more so than this one.

In this seventh month of the pandemic, making art everyday is more my norm than the exception. Beginning in the spring, I began painting floral scenes onto postcard size watercolor paper and sending them to friends and family. It felt like a needed sense of connection - both in creating the art with someone in mind, and in sending to them and sharing their pleasure in getting something in the mail that is not a bill or a political ad. It also gave me something to do, structure to my day, and a reason to go outside with my camera. The Oregon spring was abundant with flowers. As the season turned to summer, my flower pictures went from abstract one line drawings, to highly complex almost botanical. I loved the project, I loved what I learned by repeating something three dozen times and letting it evolve. I love the results.

Then I got tired of flowers - and I'm looking for something new that will engage my attention and help me get through the dark days of the pandemic winter that loom ahead. Not to mention everything else. So, I am once again going to step up to the Art Every Day Month Challenge. 

The painting on the top of this page is called Still Life with Flowers. Acrylic on canvas. 12 x12. I painted in practice for a project I am planning for the students in my Zoom Art Class. 

The other one is called Inside Out. Watercolor Brush Pens on watercolor paper, 5x7"

Aa is for Art Supplies

I always introduce an assortment of art supplies in my classes because I want my students to learn what each can do - pastels are rich in color but messy. Some love them (I do) but others hate the dust. Acrylic are always popular, as are acrylic pens. Actually, pens and markers of all sorts are among my favorites - and I've used several different types for the work I have created this month.

Extra fine sharpies in many colors are perfect for my line drawings - but have a limited variety of colors (especially if you use them often.) I love my two sided PrismaColor markers - but they are a little too heavy for the more delicate pieces I've been creating lately. One down-side of using any marker is worrying that the color will hold outa for the entire piece. Though this rarely happens, it is always a concern.

Last night I used Arteza Real Brush pens to color this one-line floral. These are blendable, water-based ink. Thanks to my generous husband I have a set of 48 colors. A wonderful array. I like the tip which is essentially a brush and can be used for narrow lines or wide spaces, and can be worked with water. These were fun to use and I am happy with the warm colors I used.

Z is for Zooming through November

I'm up to Z - its almost Thanksgiving. Time is flying.

On this busy day, I made some time to draw a series of  one-line images - using my floral paintings on the wall as inspiration.

 I liked the idea of using the one-line approach in a new way. My students will love this, too.

After drawing several sketches, I chose this one to fill with lines and color. I brought it into my digital tools to add a filter of color to enhance the autumn palette of the bouquet.

XY

Yesterday was eXtra busy which is Y I did not post anything. This is today's project - based on a monotype print. Working on the print, I did some overpainting to pop the colors and add detail, but kept the soft loose feel.

I am imagining this bouquet on the Thanksgiving table.